Sap-spout.



C. E. WHITCOMB.

SAP SPOUT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12. m4.

1,154,679. PatentedSept. 28, 1915.

gjwvmatoz cLARaN E W'HiTG 0 memos-D. VERMONT.

I SAP-sneer.

, Sp ci of i s P tent- Patented Sept. :28, 191.5.

Application filed November 12, 1914. Serial No. 871,744.

T 0 all whom it'mrty'conccrm" Be it known that I, GLARANGE E. l/VI-HT-COMB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richford, in thecounty of Franklin and State of Vermont, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Sap- Spouts, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in sapspouts and has for its object, the provision of a spout having a passageso constructed that when the spout is in position within the hole of atree, the air will be excluded therefrom so as to prevent the drying upof the tree which is the main difiiculty now existing with sap spoutsnow in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sap spout which isexceedingly simple.

and cheap in construction and one which is provided with means forholding the same in position within the hole of a tree after beingplaced therein, so as to prevent the same from being pulled out ofposition by the weight of the bucket which is supported thereby.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spout having abail-receiving portion so mounted, that the sap collected within thebucket can be poured out of the same without removing the bucket fromthe spout.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will behereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by theappended claim.

In the drawings-Figure 1, is a detail, vertical section through aportion of a tree showing in elevation, my improved construction ofspout; Fig. 2, is a detail horizontal section through a portion of atree showing in plan, my improved construction of spout; Fig. 3, is aview similar to Fig. 1, showing a longitudinal section through thespout; and Fig. 4, is a transverse section rough the spout in positionwith a hole in a tree.

Like numerals of reference refer to like parts in the several figures ofthe drawings.

In carrying out my improved construction of sap spout, 1 indicates abody preferably angular in shape having a plug portion 2 and a troughportion 3 and an intermediate bucket-supporting portion 4. The troughportion 3 is cut out as shown at 5 to form a trough terminating in a lip(3 so as to cause the sap to drip into the bucket.

- The plugp'ortion '2 is 3 annularly reduced "as shown at 7 and isprovided at its end with oppositely disposed lugs 8 adapted to engagethe upper and lower walls of an opening 9 formed in a tree so as to holdthe same firmly in position; the plug portion 2 completely closing theopen end of the hole and it will be seen that by wedging the spout inposition, the same will be firmly held, so that when weight is placedupon the outer portion of the spout by hanging the bail of the bucketupon the portion l, which is provided with a'recess formed by spacedlugs to prevent the same from slipping, the upper lug 8 will embeditself within the upper wall of the opening. Extending obliquely throughthe plug portion 2 of the body, is a passage 10 which intersects thegroove of the trough 5 at its outer end and at its inner end comes outof the plug at the reduced portion 7 in such a manner that an inclinedpassage is formed which will hold a certain amount of sap at all timesso as to exclude air, thereby preventing the tree from drying up whenthe plug is in position. It will be seen that the sap passage 10 has itsinlet end adjacent the bottom of the hole bored in the tree so that thesame is closed as soon as any sap accumulates, which has a free passagearound the end of the plug, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. By constructinga plug in this manner, the hole bored in the tree can be slightlyinclined without allowing the sap to entirely pass out of the spout sothat all danger of the tree drying up by admitting air into the holebored therein, is prevented, and a construction is formed which allowsthe sap which accumulates within the hole bored in the tree, to passfreely out through the sap passage into the trough from which it dropsinto the bucket.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have provided asap spout which is provided with a passage communicating with one of thecircumferential walls of the reduced portion of the plug at such a pointthat the air is excluded as soon as any sap accumulates within theopening bored into the tree.

I claim:

A sap spout, comprising an angular shaped body having a plug portion atone end, a trough portion at its opposite end and an intermediatebucket-supporting portion, said trough portion terminating at a point invertical alinement With thebucket ina horizontal plane With the top faceof portion, said plug portion being annularly the reduced portion ofsaidplug. I 10 reduced terminating in oppositely disposed In testimonyWhereofI affix my signature lugs in vertical alinement, said plugportion in presence of two Witnesses.

having an obliquely arranged passage eX- CLARANCE E. WHITCOMBJ tendingfrom the under side of the reduced WVitnesses:

portion thereof to the upper end of the ARTHUR B. RoWLEY,-

trough, the upper end of the trough being H. H/ROUNDS.

- Copies of this patentmay be obtained for five cents each,byaddressing'the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 20.0.; I V

